GOVERNMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO:202 ANSWERED ON:07.08.2006 Athawale Shri Ramdas

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Ministry is implementing the 'Project Tiger';

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the achievements made under it as on date;

(c) whether the number of Tigers is declining in certain sanctuaries;

(d) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reasons therefor; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to set up wild life sanctuaries (Tiger reserves) in the protected areas? Answer

MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS (SHRI A. RAJA)

(a),(b), (c),(d), & (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a), (b), (c), (d) & (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 202 REGARDING PROJECT TIGER DUE FOR REPLY ON 07.08.2006.

(a)&(b) Yes Sir. Details relating to Project Tiger Scheme and its achievements are at Annexure-I.

(c) &(d) There is a report of disappearance of tigers from the . The details of tiger estimation in tiger reserves since 1972, as carried out by States, are at Annexure-II. Wild animal populations in nature are not static but fluctuate marginally.

(e) 'In-principle' approval has been accorded for designating eight new Tiger Reserves in the country, based on proposals received from States, and as approved by the Steering Committee of the Project Tiger, in its 37th meeting held on 23.01.2003. The details are provided at Annexure-III.

ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 202 REGARDING PROJECT TIGER DUE FOR REPLY ON 07.08.2006.

Details of Project Tiger Scheme

1) Project Tiger is an ongoing centrally sponsored scheme, under which funding support is provided to States for conserving tigers in designated Tiger Reserves. This project has a holistic approach, since the eco-system in its totality is conserved by focussing on the flagship species (tiger), which occupies the apex of the ecological pyramid in nature.

2) The project, launched in April 1973, in 9 eco-typical, specially designated areas of the country, has a core − buffer strategy. At present, the project coverage has increased to 28 Tiger Reserves spread over 17 States.

3) While the core area of a Tiger Reserve is managed for wildlife conservation, the buffer is treated as a multiple use zone to provide vegetal connectivity for spill over population of wild animals from the core conservation unit. In addition, the buffer zone also facilitates implementation of site specific eco-developmental inputs for eliciting the support of stake-holder indigenous people towards tiger conservation.

4) The Government of India provides 100 per cent funding support for non-recurring items of expenditure, and 50 per cent funding support for recurring items, based on annual proposals received from States to implement the Tiger Reserve specific management plan for tiger conservation.

5) An amount of Rs. 288.34 crores has been provided as Central assistance since inception of the Project Tiger (from 1973-74 to 2006-07). Achievements of Project Tiger (Impact related) 1) Project Tiger has saved the endangered tiger from extinction, and has put the species on an assured path of recovery by improving the protection and status of its habitat.

2) The project coverage has been increased from 9 Tiger Reserves in 1973 to 28 Tiger Reserves at present. Further, "in-principle" approval has been accorded for designating 8 more Protected Areas as Tiger Reserves, based on proposals received from States.

3) The core buffer strategy of Project Tiger has provided scope for eliciting local public support through site specific ecodevelopment in the buffer/fringe areas.

4) The project has contributed towards several intangible environmental benefits to society, eg. absorption of carbon dioxide, improvement of micro climate, rainfall and river flow.

5) The project has generated considerable wages for the benefit of fringe dwelling communities, who are deployed as local work force for protection and other labour oriented works.

6) While conserving the flagship species (tiger), the project has saved several other species of plants and animals from extinction.

7) The local communities are also benefiting from eco-tourism in tiger reserves apart from ecodevelopmental inputs in fringe areas.

(Process related)

1) The Project Tiger has served as a role model for wildlife management planning, habitat restoration, protection and ecodevelopment in our country.

2) States have been provided funding support for enhancing site specific protection through deployment of local work force, ex-army personnel.

3) The field staff working in Tiger Reserves have been provided project allowance as an incentive for working in difficult conditions.

4) Independent monitoring of tiger reserves has been undertaken by a panel of experts, based on the framework of the World Commission of Protected Areas of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). The assessment reports have been peer reviewed by the IUCN, which has commended the effort.

5) The All India Estimation of tiger, copredators and prey animals has been refined by Project Tiger in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, with a peer review mechanism comprising of independent experts, both national and international (IUCN). This has been approved by the Tiger Task Force constituted by the National Board for Wildlife.

6) The tiger habitat of the country has been evaluated in the GIS (Geographical Information System) domain at the Tehsil level.

7) The status and changes of forest cover within Tiger Reserves upto an outer surround of 10 km. radius distance has been assessed in collaboration with the Forest Survey of India, for facilitating restorative action.

8) The Zoological Survey of India and the Botanical Survey of India have been co-opted for bringing out compendia on their faunistic and floristic surveys in Tiger Reserves.

9) Steps have been taken for implementing the urgent recommendations of the Tiger Task Force which, interalia, including setting up of the 'National Tiger Conservation Authority' and the 'Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau' (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau).

10) As a pilot initiative towards e-governance to foster management support system, five Tiger Reserves have been linked with the Project Tiger Directorate in the GIS domain.

ANNEXURE-II

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) & (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 202# REGARDING PROJECT TIGER DUE FOR REPLY ON 07.08.2006.

S.NO. NAME OF RESERVE 1972 1979 1984 1989 1993 1995 1997 2001-02

1. BANDIPUR () 10 39 53 50 66 74 75 82 2. BANDHAVGARH (MADHYA - - - - 41 46 46 56 PRADESH) 3. BHADRA (KARNATAKA) ------35 4. Bori-SATPURA-PACHMARI ------35 () 5. BUXA () - - 15 33 29 31 32 31 6. CORBETT () 44 84 90 91 123 128 138 137 7 DAMPHA () - - - - 7 4 5 4 8. DUDHWA (UTTAR PRADESH) - - - 90 94 98 104 76# 9. INDRAVATI - - 38 28 18 15 15 29 (MADHYA PRADESH) 10. KANHA (MADHYA PRADESH) 43 71 109 97 100 97 114 127 11. KALAKAD () - - - 22 17 16 28 27 12. MANAS () 31 69 123 92 81 94 125 65# 13. () 27 63 80 77 72 71 73 73 14. NAGARJUNASAGAR - - 65 94 44 34 39 67 () 15. NAMDHAPA - - 43 47 47 52 57 61 () 16. NAMERI ( ASSAM) ------26 17. Pakhui ------( ARUNACHAL PRADESH) 18. PALAMAU () 22 37 62 55 44 47 44 32 19. PANNA (MADHYA PRADESH) - - - - 25 22 22 31 20. PERIYAR () - 34 44 45 30 39 40 36 21. PENCH (MADHYA PRADESH) - - - - 39 27 29 40 22. PENCH (MAHARASHTRA) ------14 23. RANTHOMBORE () 14 25 38 44 36 38 32 35 24. SARISKA (RAJASTHAN) - 19 26 19 24 25 24 22 25. SIMILIPAL (ORISSA) 17 65 71 93 95 97 98 99 26. SUNDERBANS (WEST BENGAL)60 205 264 269 251 242 263 245 27. TADOBA (MAHARASHTRA) - - - - 34 36 42 38 28. VALMIKI (BIHAR) - - - 81 49 N.R. 53 53 TOTAL 268 711 1121 1327 1366 1333 1498 1576 # Under compliation / vetting N.R.- Not reported by the State

ANNEXURE-III

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 202 REGARDING PROJECT TIGER DUE FOR REPLY ON 07.08.2006.

LIST OF THE PROPOSED NEW TIGER RESERVES Sl. No. Name of the proposed new Tiger Reserve State

1. Anamalai -Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuaries Tamil Nadu & Kerala 2. Udanti and Sita Nadi Wildlife Sanctuaries Chattisgarh 3. Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary Orissa 4. Assam 5. Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary Chattisgarh 6. Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi National Park Karnataka 7 and Sanjay Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary Madhya Pradesh 8. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary Tamil Nadu